Reading FC Match Report: 2018/2019 Season - Championship

18 August 2018READING 0 BOLTON 1

Reading: -- Bolton: Y Wildschut (48)

The inability of Reading to find the back of the net has been a problem for a long time now and it is one which is stubbornly refusing to go away. After controlling the game in the first half The Royals were caught napping at the back shortly after half time and fell behind to a calmly taken chance by substitute Wildshut. From that point onwards the outcome looked inevitable as Bolton sat back and stifled any attempts by Reading to pick their way through a tight defensive formation. Reading simply lacked the imagination and creativity to create a clear opening, failing to register a single shot attempt on target in the entire second half. This third successive defeat in the league creates the grim statistic of being their worst start to a season since 1959!

Having narrowly lost the opening two matches in spite of some encouraging performances there was degree of optimism from home fans going in to this game, and the first half display offered further encouragement. After a shaky five minutes in which Bolton’s direct approach cause some anxious moments in the Reading defence, new signings Baldock and McNulty linked up well and began to find openings in the visitors defence. Baldock was particularly effective dropping off the defence receive the ball and spin past defenders. Meyler and Swift probed with some penetrating passes and when Baldock’s sharp turn drew a clumsy foul on the edge of the box Swift’s free kick needed a good save from Alnwick to keep it out. The Bolton ‘keeper was unable to hold on to the ball but it was scrambled away. Wheater went in to the book for clattering Baldock from behind as he continued to torment the Bolton back four with his movement. Meite almost opened the scoring as he wriggled through the centre of the Bolton defence but was unable to finish under pressure and seemed to feel he was fouled as Bolton cleared the danger. Bolton had the best chance of the half when McShane was (once again) impeded as he leapt to head the ball and the ball fell kindly for Bolton. The ball was slipped to Buckley who shot tamely and his effort was saved by Manone. He really should have scored. At the other end Baldock found space in the box but his shot curled on target but at a nice height and pace for Alnwick to save with ease. Reading were dominating possession and looked more likely to score than Bolton. Blackett was caught out of position and was booked when he resorted to a clumsy challenge to break up a promising Bolton break. The main danger for Reading was an error at the back as they pressed forward.

That error came three minutes after half time. The inquest will I am sure go on well into next week but basically the Reading back four were caught sleeping and horribly square when Wildshut was allowed to run unchallenged through a huge gap in the centre of the defence onto a Noone trough ball and calmly slide the ball past an unprotected Manone. Bolton could not have wished for a better start and from that point all they needed to do was sit back and watch Reading pass the ball around in front of their defensive shield until they were conceded possession in tight situations in and around the box. When Reading did get a sight of goal the opportunities were spurned as for example the ball dropped to Meyler on the edge of the box and he neither attempted the inviting volley or controlled it to get a shot away, which was a pity because his touch overall was excellent. The introduction of Bodvarsson and Bacuna in place of McNulty and Meyler made little difference. There were neat touches from Swift but he was often slow to move the ball on or ran into trouble. Popa came on for the last five minutes and fired wide but the lack of belief throughout the team was evident in the poor quality of passing and shooting when it really mattered.

Breaking down a team camped on the edge of their box and wasting time at every opportunity is always going to be difficult to overcome. Bolton ‘keeper Alnwick was allowed to waste a ludicrous amount of time, and when finally spoked to by referee Linington, his response was, to put it politely, disrespectful. Barrow was missed today, and his return will certainly provide more of a cutting edge which could be crucial over the coming weeks. It is far too early in the season to draw any long term conclusions about the rest of the season. Reading however need to pick up some points soon to bring back a little self-belief but I’m not so sure away fixtures against Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa are going to be helpful in achieving that particular goal.

John Wells

Post Match Fans' Opinion

Sutekh

» 18 Aug 2018 18:22

Well that was a load of one trick predictable **** wasn’t it?

A well organised but limited side rolls into town and Reading adopt the apparent Stam tactics from the off of a leisurely walking pace and failing to take the game to the opposition

Thereafter followed a lack lustre slow plodding display that slowly got worse as the game wore on.

Meite was probably man of the match but of the overall performance I don’t think anyone can be particularly proud. Swift tried but looked poor overall esp as he seemed to be playing wide left for the most part. Kelly was anonymous and really do not like seeing him and Swift in the same starting line up. Meyler. Was he on the pitch? Was expecting a player in the mould of Sidwell but we seem to have another Edwards in the making. Question there is why on earth did we sign him when Evans could have been doing that role - and probably be better with it.

Baldock and McNulty got about a bit but really didn’t create very much nor really give much stress to the likes of Wheater but then they weren’t really getting much service.

And then there’s the game plan. Seemed, YET AGAIN, that it was to try and avoid width at all costs. Yes I know we were low on wingers but Meite, Yiadom and Blackett are all capable of getting forward and doing width type things but anything like that seemed to be only as an afterthought when the constant trying to pass the ball through the middle failed. Don’t players get encouraged to get behind defenders and whip in low balls at pace at the club any more? It seems to be something of a complete anathema to Reading players these last 2/3 seasons.

Whatever loan activity is planned it rather desperately needs to be some attacking threat and someone who can produce those magic something out of nothing moments as they sure aren’t going to get much help from anyone based on that dreadful performance.

Only upside is that Clement was also annoyed by it all and said so. Expect changes for the pointage attempt at Blackburn.

John Madejski's Wallet

» 18 Aug 2018 18:29

Plus side...... first half I thought we had the makings of a really good front 3. I briefly felt optimistic

But Swift wad utterly woeful. Slowed everything down when we were breaking, didn't move to find space, lost the ball. Sadly Kelly & Meyler were just as bad.

We were crying out to get it to the front 3 quicker, but instead it just kept taking ages. Garbage

Wizard

» 18 Aug 2018 18:34

I enjoyed the ball bouncing off someone’s foot, then the linesman’s foot, then Bodvarsson’s head like a pinball.

Lower West

» 18 Aug 2018 18:38

Playing Swift on the left wing totally unbalanced the team.

Kelly has no tempo. When in possession simply slows the game down.

Too easy to play against at the moment.

Royality creeps In

» 18 Aug 2018 18:41

On first thoughts, McNulty, Kelly and Meyler need to be dropped for starters. Meite was a bit
Hard to criticise Mannone as he had nothing to do, except pick the ball out of the net.
Swift was excellent in bits, poor in others. I think we need to persist with him.

Although I didn’t see who, but I thought their goal came about as a result of a lucky deflection or mistake by us.

Bolton were nothing special and will probably struggle once they go behind in a game, as when they scored they just defended. unfortunately we didn’t have the nous to break them down.

Hound

» 18 Aug 2018 18:42

Swift was at the centre of every single good thing we did

Can’t understand how anyone could think he was woeful tbh

McShane, Kelly, Yiadom, Blackett, Meyler, Moore on the Other hand...

For me, you are just not going to win games when you concede pathetic goals like that. Glad Clement made a point of it and the defence should be changed and Ilori brought back in. He should never have been dropped and I don’t think we would have conceded that goal with him in

Bacuna should be in for Kelly. He is just better. Kelly is sadly not a particularly good player and I can’t see him getting better

Front 3 + Barrow will improve

paddy20

» 18 Aug 2018 18:43

Thought Macshane definitely responsible for giving away their goal. Clement says he going to drop a bombshell for next game. Can only see it as Illori back in and Moore to be new captain.

Poor performance but one we should not have lost. Time to stop persisting with Kelly who adds nothing to the team apart from slowing it down and passing sideways. Meyler not much better. We can't afford to play 2 defensive midfielders at Home to teams like Bolton who simply done a job on us.

PieEater

» 18 Aug 2018 18:43

We missed Barrow.

Bolton took their chance, were cynical and organised and we had no answer. The ref didn't help but we really should have reacted to going 1-0 down. As it was we practically gave up.

There were no stars today except maybe the Bolton keeper who saved our best chance. Not sure about the open goal that somehow was a corner until I see a replay.

We're definitely relegation fodder.

John Madejski's Wallet

» 18 Aug 2018 18:45

I think Stam has completely ruined Kelly.

From an exciting debut where he was creating around the box and score a some nice goals, to a slow plodder that sits really deep and collects the ball from defence. The wrong manager really can fukk things up.

Armadillo Roadkill

» 18 Aug 2018 18:46

After the opening three minutes when Bolton tore into us, we gradually asserted ourselves; nice quick interplay around the opposition's box, just lacking that final bit of penetration.

Then their goal - whoever Clement adjudges to be at fault will be having a very uncomfortable evening and a break from first team football judging on his BBCRB interview after the game. he was clearly furious, made no excuses and pulled no punches.

Bolton were very well organised and held their shape. We lost all confidence and reverted to sideways passing to try and fashion an opening. If we were still playing now (it's 18:35) we still would not have scored. We just cannot unpick as side that has learnt the basics of defending a lead.

Next two games look tough, so we could realistically be looking at five straight defeats.

Hound

» 18 Aug 2018 18:47

Now this I agree 100% with

leon

» 18 Aug 2018 18:49

First time I’ve seen us this season - apparently we’d improved since last season.